Image forming apparatus, image forming method and sheet processing apparatus

Abstract

An image forming system comprises an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet and a sheet processing apparatus for performing binding processing on a sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets having formed the image. The sheet processing apparatus performs binding processing by a stapler on the sheet bundle placed on an intermediate tray and an opening. The image forming apparatus controls image forming preparation and timing of movement of the stapler in accordance with presence/absence of the sheet bundle on the opening, position of the stapler and timing to obtain an image forming instruction including binding processing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; 
 a binding unit configured to perform binding processing on a sheet bundle formed of a plurality of the sheets; 
 a first sheet bundle placing portion on which a first sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets conveyed from the image forming unit is placed; 
 a second sheet bundle placing portion on which a second sheet bundle manually inserted by a user is placed, the second sheet bundle placing portion being different from the first sheet bundle placing portion; 
 a moving unit configured to move the binding unit between a first position and a second position along a moving path, the first position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the first sheet bundle placing portion, the second position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, and the moving path including a bent portion, wherein the binding unit is arranged such that if the moving unit moves the binding unit from the second position via the bent portion to the first position with the second sheet bundle being placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, the binding unit interferes with the second sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion; 
 a detector configured to detect presence/absence of the second sheet bundle on the second sheet bundle placing portion; and 
 a controller configured to control the image forming unit, the controller performing an image forming preparation operation for causing the image forming unit to be in a state in which the image forming is ready to start before starting an image forming, the image forming preparation operation including driving a part of the image forming unit without image forming; 
 wherein in a case where a print job is input and the binding unit is at the second position, the print job being an instruction to which the binding processing on the first sheet bundle to be placed on the first sheet bundle placing portion is designated, the controller is configured to:
 (1) in a case where the detector does not detect the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation, and control the moving unit to move the binding unit from the second position to the first position, and 
 (2) in a case where the detector detects the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit such that the image forming preparation operation is not performed, and control the moving unit such that the movement of the binding unit from the second position to the first position is not performed, then, if the detector no longer detects the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation, and control the moving unit to move the binding unit to the first position. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 in a case where the print job is input, the binding unit is at the second position, and the detector does not detect the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation and control the moving unit to move the binding unit to the first position, thereafter, in a case where the detector detects the second sheet bundle during a period after starting of the image forming preparation operation and before moving the binding unit, control the image forming unit to stop the image forming preparation operation and to not perform the moving unit from moving the binding unit to the first position. 
 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to, after stopping of the image forming preparation operation and in a case where the detector no longer detects the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit to restart the image forming preparation operation and control the moving unit to move the binding unit to the first position. 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in a case where the print job is input, the binding unit is at the second position, and the detector does not detect the second sheet bundle, the controller is configured to control the image forming unit to perform image forming preparation operation and control the moving unit to move the binding unit to the first position, and
 the controller is further configured to control the image forming unit and the moving unit to continue image forming preparation operation and move the binding unit even if the detector detects the second sheet bundle after the image forming preparation operation and the moving of the binding unit are started. 
 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to allow the binding unit to bind the second sheet bundle at the second position in a case where the detector detects the second sheet bundle during a period after starting of the image forming preparation operation and before starting of movement of the binding unit. 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a display unit for displaying information, and 
 wherein the controller is further configured to perform a display prompting removal of the sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion on the display unit in a case where the detector detects the second sheet bundle when the print job has been completed and the binding unit is at the first position. 
 
     
     
       7. An image forming apparatus which is communicably connected to a sheet processing apparatus which comprises:
 a binding unit configured to perform binding processing on a sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets; 
 a first sheet bundle placing portion on which a first sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets conveyed from the image forming apparatus is placed; 
 a second sheet bundle placing portion on which a second sheet bundle manually inserted by a user is placed, the second sheet bundle placing portion being different from the first sheet bundle placing portion; 
 a moving unit configured to move the binding unit between a first position and a second position along a moving path, the first position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the first sheet bundle placing portion, the second position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, and the moving path including a bent portion, wherein the binding unit is arranged such that if the moving unit moves the binding unit from the second position via the bent portion to the first position with the second sheet bundle being placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, the binding unit interferes with the second sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion; and 
 a detector configured to detect the second sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, 
 the image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet, 
 a delivery unit configured to deliver the sheet having formed thereon the image to the sheet processing apparatus; and 
 a controller configured to control the image forming unit, the controller performing an image forming preparation operation for causing the image forming unit to be in a state in which the image forming is ready to start before starting an image forming, the image forming preparation operation including driving a part of the image forming unit without image forming; 
 wherein in a case where a print job is input and the binding unit is at the second position, the print job being an instruction to which the binding processing on the first sheet bundle to be placed on the first sheet bundle placing portion is designated, the controller is configured to:
 (1) in a case where the detector does not detect the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation, and 
 (2) in a case where the detector detects the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit such that the image forming preparation operation is not started, and control the moving unit such that movement of the binding unit from the second position to the first position is not performed, then, if the detector no longer detects the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation. 
 
 
 
     
     
       8. An image forming method performed by an apparatus which comprises:
 an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; 
 a binding unit configured to perform binding processing on a sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets; 
 a first sheet bundle placing portion on which a first sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets conveyed from the image forming unit is placed; 
 a second sheet bundle placing portion on which a second sheet bundle manually inserted by a user is placed, the second sheet bundle placing portion being different from the first sheet bundle placing portion; 
 a moving unit configured to move the binding unit between a first position and a second position along a moving path, the first position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the first sheet bundle placing portion, the second position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, and the moving path including a bent portion, wherein the binding unit is arranged such that if the moving unit moves the binding unit from the second position via the bent portion to the first position with the second sheet bundle being placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, the binding unit interferes with the second sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion; and 
 a detector configured to detect the second sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, 
 the image forming method comprising:
 performing an image forming preparation operation for causing the image forming unit to be in a state in which the image forming is ready to start before starting an image forming, the image forming preparation operation including driving a part of the image forming unit without image forming; 
 performing, in a case where a print job is input and the binding unit is at the second position, the print job being an instruction to which the binding processing on the first sheet bundle to be placed on the first sheet bundle placing portion is designated:
 (1) in a case where the detector does not detect the second sheet bundle, control of the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation and control of the moving unit to move the binding unit to the first position, and 
 (2) in a case where the detector detects the second sheet bundle, control of the image forming unit such that the image forming preparation operation is not started, and control of the moving unit such that the movement of the binding unit from the second position to the first position is not performed, then, if the detector no longer detects the second sheet bundle, control of the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation, and control of the moving unit to move the binding unit to the first position. 
 
 
 
     
     
       9. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; 
 a binding unit configured to perform binding processing on a sheet bundle formed of a plurality of the sheets; 
 a first sheet bundle placing portion on which a first sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets conveyed from the image forming unit is placed; 
 a second sheet bundle placing portion on which a second sheet bundle manually inserted by a user is placed, the second sheet bundle placing portion being different from the first sheet bundle placing portion; 
 a moving unit configured to move the binding unit between a first position and a second position along a moving path, the first position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the first sheet bundle placing portion, the second position being a position for binding the sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, and the moving path including a bent portion, wherein the binding unit is arranged such that if the moving unit moves the binding unit from the second position via the bent portion to the first position with the second sheet bundle being placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion, the binding unit interferes with the second sheet bundle placed on the second sheet bundle placing portion; 
 a detector configured to detect presence/absence of the second sheet bundle on the second sheet bundle placing portion; and 
 a controller configured to control the image forming unit to perform an image forming preparation operation for causing the image forming unit to be in a state in which the image forming is ready to start before starting an image forming, the image forming preparation operation including driving a part of the image forming unit without image forming;
 wherein the controller controls the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation in a case where a print job is input, the binding unit is at the second position, and the detector does not detect the second sheet bundle, and 
 wherein the controller controls the image forming unit such that the image forming preparation operation is not performed in a case where a print job is input, the binding unit is at the second position, and the detector detects the second sheet bundle, then, if the detector no longer detects the second sheet bundle, control the image forming unit to perform the image forming preparation operation.